Nathan l



(No Model);

N. L. HOLMES. BOLSTBR SPRING.

Patented May 5, 1896.

I 2%! 1 If 3;

UNITED STATES PATENT FFlOEo NATHAN T1. HOLMES, OF RAOINE, YVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN DIEIIL AND LOUIS A. FEE, OF SAME PLACE.

BOLSTER-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 559,581, dated May 5, 1896. Application filed May 16, 1895. Serial No. 549,467. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHAN L. HOLMES, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of \Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bolster-S prin gs and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to spring-bolsters (commonly called bolster-springs for wagons; and it has for its object to provide a novel construction having numerous advantages, some of .whichwill hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, ill ustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a Wagon-bolster having my improved springbolster in its single form applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is'an end elevation of the construction shown in Fig. 1, the bolster-stake being removed. Fig. 4 is a central vertical transverse section taken on line i 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a top view of the double form of my invention, certain parts being broken away to expose other parts. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the double construction shown in Fig. 5, the bolter-stake being removed. Fig. '7 is a side elevation of the saddle resting upon the wagon-bolster and supporting the yoke employed in the double construction.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a wagon-bolster, of which B B are the stakes or vertical end standards for retaining a wagon body or rack in place.

a O designates, as a whole, a bolster-spring or spring-bolster containing my invention.

D is a horizontal tempered-steel bar forming the top of the structure; E, a semielliptieal spring composed of a plurality of leaves connected with the bar D and resting at its ends upon the wagon-bolster A, and F Fare expansive coiled springs arranged vertically between the ends of the leaf-spring E and the adjacent ends of the bar D. The bar D is in length adapted to fit loosely between the stakes B B, and is provided at each end with the separate and adjustably-attached plate G, having branching lugsg g, which extend outwardly at either side of the adjacent wagon-stake. The plates G are adjustably secured to the bar D by bolts or rivets g, extending through the bar and through slots 9 formed in the plates and extending lengthwise of the spring. By making the plates G adjustable upon the barD the spring-bolster may be adapted to diiterent wagons having the stakes at slightly-varying distances apart or to a wagon in which a stake or the stakes may have been loosened or spread.

The spring E is composed of a plurality of leaves, (two or more,) the lower and longest leaf of which rests at its ends so upon the bolster A, near the stakes B. To each end of the lowermost and longest leaf is secured in any suitable way a separate plate H, having branching lugs h 7L, embracing the adjacent bolster-stake. In this instance the plate II is provided with shallow side flanges which embrace the end of the spring-leaf, and the plate is held to the leaf by means of a vertical bolt h. The length of the lowermost member of the leaf-spring is sufliciently less than the distance between the bolster-stakes to allow for the elongation of the springs under a load without striking the stakes, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1, while the length of the lugs h h on the plates H is suflicient to insure their engagement with the bolster stakes when the spring E is retracted under its lea-st load.

- The spring E, as shown in the drawings, is composed of three members or leavesto wit, the lowermost member E, an intermediate member E shorter than the lower member, (as usual,) and the uppermost member E of still less lengthsaid three members being bolted together by rivets c c near their middle in the usual manner. The upper member is of a length approximately one-third that of the bar D and has its ends bent upwardly, preferably, from the bolts 6, so as to diverge from the subjaeent member of the spring. These upturned ends of the uppermost member of the spring E are provided with transverse eyes or apertures through which pivotbolts d d connect said leaf with depending lugs D on the bar D. Saidlugs D will usually be formed upon a cast plate rigidly secured to the bar D by rivets, as shown, or otherwise.

I I are cylin dric studs secured, respectively, to the under side of the bar D near its ends and to the upper side of the spring-leaf E near its ends, said studs being adapted to em ter the ends of the coil-springs F F to retain the latter in place. Preferably the lugs I I will be secured in place by the same bolts which secure the end plates G and II to the respective parts D and E. The coiled spring F F may be sprung into engagement with the lugs I I, so as to remain in place without other means.

A spring-bolster having the construction above described possesses important advantages over prior devices of this general character. By supporting the bar D clear of the middle of the spring E and flexibly through the medium of the upturned ends of the uppermost leaf of the spring E at the separated points (1 cl not only has the entire structure a desirable degree of flexibility, but the spring E is allowed to have a spring action throughout its entire length and to oppose a large load with the utmost efiectiveness while yielding readily to a light load. It has been found in practice that the spring may be depressed to straightness, or so as to touch the bolster A at its middle, and that upon a release of pressure it will resume its original form certainly and quickly, showing that it has suffered in no degree from the strain imposed upon it. The separation of the points of attachment of the spring E with the bar D manifestly permits the use of a lighter bar than is practicable when it is connected only with the middle of said spring, as in prior constructions, while by making said bar of tempered steel it becomes itself a spring, insuring the structure against both breakage and distortion. Made of this material, moreover, said bar may be thin, which lessens the height of the structure as a whole, an important desideratum, inasmuch as the great height necessary in constructions containing a wooden bar has been a serious objection to this class of devices. Said bar D being of metal it is of course practically indestructible, and as these spring-bolsters are often disused and thrown aside temporarily this becomes an important advantage, since the steel bar will neither rot nor be broken when 01f the wagon.

As a minor advantage of the particular mode of connecting the bar D with the springE, said parts may obviously be separated readily for shipment and as readily assembled for use.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a double con.- struction in which two bolster-springs are applied to one bolster of a wagon. In these figures J J designate double crank-shaped yokes, and J J saddle-blocks, in which the central straight portion of the yokes are rotatably mounted at j. Each of said saddleblocks rests broadly on the bolster and is pro vided with a pair of retaining-lugs j, which project on opposite sides of the adjacent bolster-stake B. Each of the yokes J has its depending ends bent outwardly to a horizontal direction, forming journalsj upon which are pivotally supported the ends of the leafsprings E. To give this pivotal connection, said springs are provided with separate eyepieces K K, each secured to the end of the leaf E of the spring E by a bolt, as in the case of the plates G in the single construction above described. The length of the depending yoke-arms is such that, as shown,

the top bar D will normally stand a suitable distance above the level of the bolster to allow the desired yielding of the springs E.

The construction of the long spring-leaves E to receive either the end plates G or the eyepieces K, according as the springs are to be used singly and directly upon the bolster or doubly with the yokes, enables the manufacturer to fit up either the single or double form of device on demand from stock, simply adding the terminal pieces required for either form that may be called for. The same con.- struction enables the user to fit up his wagon with either the single or double form of con struction, as occasion may require, and with little trouble.

The bearing-blocks J are preferably of the particular construction illustrated in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings. In this construction the main casting J has an inwardlyopen recess to receive the middle straight portion of the yoke, the said recess being semicylindric in form at its inner end to fit the yoke and being overhung by the long flange After the insertion of the yoke J into the recess a into the outer end of the recess and against the yoke, and is secured in place by bolts or rivets f, which pass through the body of the casting, through the filling piece 7' and through the overhanging flang'ej This construction of the saddle or block J affords integrality of the metal where it receives strain from the yoke, thus giving maximum of strength with minimum of weight.

I claim as my invention- 1. A semielliptical bolster-spring comprising a plurality of leaves, the upper and short one of which has its ends upwardly divergent from the subjacent leaf, combined with a spring-metal bar connected with the d ivergent ends of said upper leaf, substantially as described.

2. A bolster-spring comprising a semielliptical leaf-spring composed of a plurality of leaves, the upper and short one of which is formed with its ends upwardly divergent from the subjacent leaf, a spring-metal supporting-bar connected with said divergent ends, and coiled springs interposed between the ends of the supporting-bar and those of the leaf-spring, substantially as described.

3. A bolster-sprin g comprising a semielliptical leaf-spring, composed of a plurality of leaves, the upper one of whichis of less length filling-piece j is inserted than the full length of the spring and is formed with its ends upwardly divergent from the subjacent leaf, a spring-metal bar removably connected with the divergent ends of said upper leaf, studs secured on the under and upper sides of the supporting bar and leafspring, respectively, and coiled springs extending between said bar and leaf-spring and engaging said studs, substantially as described.

4. A bolster-spring comprising a semielliptical leaf-spring composed of a plurality of leaves, the upper one of which is formed with its ends upwardly divergent from the subjacent leaf, a spring-metal supporting-bar reinovably connected with the divergent ends 

